PANTOMIME REVIEW: Beauty And The Beast - The Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

This was the first production at Liverpool's Epstein Theatre since it re-opened under new management, bringing together largely local talent with star billing going to popular television actor Ben Richards (from Hollyoaks). Unfortunately, after only a few performances, Richards had to pull-out after testing positive for Covid on the morning of the Press Night performance. If this was not bad enough, Kelly Sweeney, who was playing the Good Fairy, became unable to perform just one and a half hours before the curtain went up on the same show. This must have tested the nerves of the entire cast but the show had to go on.

‘Beauty And The Beast’ was a traditional pantomime in most senses. The sets were created largely through a mix of full and open back-cloths, painted in an old-fashioned but effective style (providing several pleasing scenes with creative lighting effects). The show used many of the old, familiar routines (such as a ghost which keeps scaring other characters off-stage) and the jokes ranged from the corny to the downright ribald. The costumes and the acting were over-the-top and a thin storyline was punctuated by a regular flow of popular music numbers sung by the cast whilst dancers performed various routines.

The result of all the above was a fast-flowing show which never let up in pace and rather than trying to re-invent the wheel, simply delivered a consummate traditional pantomime which delivered on all counts. The audience was soon caught up in the atmosphere and the cast appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, perhaps partly through relief that everything was going well despite the set-backs earlier that day.

All the cast performed well, throwing themselves into their roles with gusto. Special mention must be made of Tom Fothergill who had the unenviable task to stepping into shoes of Ben Richards, around whom the show's publicity had been built. There was little evidence of nerves with one of the other actors even cracking a joke that if only he looked like Ben Richards! Nazene Langfield was also a real trouper who as the show choreographer, took on the singing and dancing role of Fairy Rose at very short notice, actually having to open the show. Apart the use of a book on two or three occasions, there was nothing to suggest she had not been due to play the role from the outset.

Lewis Devine was the effective front-man as French Frank, acting very much in the old music hall tradition, interacting well with the audience including an amusing scene where a young man from the stalls was brought on stage to help him up onto a wall. Jamie Greer is a time-served pantomime Dame and was at home as the gormless Potty Polly. A really interesting piece of casting was James Lacey as Madame Botox, the ‘wicked queen’ of the show. This was a genuine piece of female impersonation worthy of Danny La Rue; a feature seldom seen in pantomime and carried off with perfection. Lauren McCrory as the Beauty and Benjamin Keith as the Beast worked well together, including a powerful singing duet. Credit must also be given to the five dancers who performed various styles with a vaudeville air.

A highlight of the show, without giving away too much of a spoiler, was when things went seriously awry whilst singing 'The Twelve Days Of Christmas'; this was performed hilariously and provided, for a pantomime, a lot of originality. This was a fun show which certainly delivered and it is doubtful that anyone felt short-changed by the absence of the main star. The Epstein Theatre did proud the old adage that the show must go and it certainly did just that.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 20.12.21